Bridge construction



Jan. 4, 1938. E. CHAPMAN BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION original Filed Dec. 14, 193s 5 sheets-sheet 1 NN 89N h INVENTOR .f Ev RETTC A RNE Jan. 4, 1938. E- QHAPMAN l 2,104,022

' BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION y original Filed Dec. 14', 1,935 5a sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Jan. 4,` 1938. E. CHAPMAN v BRIDGE CONSTRUCTIONv original Filed Deo. 14, 195s .'5 Sheets-Sheet 3 OOOQQ/@OO O O MLX/ Patented Jan. 4, 193s eATEr "Fries p y, 2,104,022 Barnes ooNsTRUo-'rroN Everett Chapman, Coatesville, Pa.

' Application December 14, 1933, Serial No. 702,386

Renewed vSeptember 8, 1936 13 claims. (ci. 14-24) My invention relatesto bridge structures, more particularly those intended for highway use; my

present construction involving a metal supporting framemade up of suitably connected unitsections and serving as a continuous truss upon which flooring' may be placed, concrete or the:

like, whereby a suitable roadbed serving as the continuation of a highway, street, orA the like,

may be provided. Y

The structure'forming the subject of my irl--l vention may also be employed in railroad con struction with or without a fill of concrete or other material serving as the permanent way and upon which ,thev railsand cross ties may be laid.

My improved construction comprisesa series of inherently stable members; each of said members including a relatively light central section made up of a metal plate and other sections which are welded together, with haunches also made of metal plates and other sections welded together. The central section is permanently connected at its ends to said haunches andthe whole structure is developed to sustain the re-V quired load without, substantially, unequal distribution of stress or substantial vertical deflection of the road bed or other portions of the bridge sections; in other words, a'continuously acting structure made up; of welded elements.

A further object of my invention is to provide continuous members made up of plate sections l and the like, which sections may be of different weights, welded together into unitary elements. Initially each unit of my improved bridge structure comprises two haunch members and an intermediate connecting section welded and/or riveted at its ends to such haunch members.

The bridge structure proper is made up of a plurality of the composite frame sections of the character hereinafter described; such composite frame sections being tied together or stayed by cross members which may be welded, riveted, or otherwise secured to vertical or other members of the composite frame sections in any proper or suitable manner well known to those skilled in the art. A

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter; reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one form of bridge unit structure within the scope of my invention. l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the structure shown in Fig; l.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View illustrating an assembly of unit bridging elements in a typical bridge structure.` Y

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views on the lines IV-IV, and V-V, Fig. 2.

Fig; 6 isa fragmentary perspective View illustratng a detail of `my invention.

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary view on a larger scaleV illustrating a detail of the structure shown vin Figs. 1 and 2. f n

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified haunch construction within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view on the line IX-IX, Fig. 8.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary View similar to Figs. 2 and 7, showing a further modification within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating a detail of the structure shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view illustrating another detail within the scope of my invention.

The object of Vmy invention is to provide a built-up structural unit for bridge construction having a'central portion or section providing a substantially flat top, with haunches continuous with the central section or that part of the structure forming such substantially flat top; the whole constructed of plate, sections welded together and developed to take the load stressesk without appreciableV deformation. y

A plurality of such built-up structural units to form a bridge of the'desired width, properly tied together, may be embedded in concrete, or in masonry of any description, and such structure may receive a road bed made up ofcon- -crete slabs, or a reinforced concrete road surface may be laid upon the same. In lieu of any form of concrete road or floor surface, any other type of floor surface that will function for the desired purpcsemay be employed; myinvention not having to do with the road structure, per se. My improved bridge structure or frame may be covered with masonry of any character, and such masonry may include spandrels of any usual type.

erably centrally disposed. In addition, vertical stiifening ribs 8 in the form of plate sections laterally disposed with respect thereto are welded to the web 5 and to the flanges of the upper and lower chords 6 and 1. While registering position of these stifening ribs is preferred, they may be in staggered relation; such arrangement depending somewhat upon the size of the section and the weight of the metal composing the same.

The haunch members 2 are made up of centrally disposed webs in the form of plate elements I0, which may be of the shape indicated in Figs. l and 2, or of the shape shownin Figs. 8 and l0. The intrados and extrados portions of the haunches, *indicated at iI and I2, respectively, are in the form of heavy plate sections which may be bent to the contour illustrated andwelded at x' to saidweb members I0; the latter being centrally disposed with respect to the lateralY dimensions of the sections yforming the intrados and extrados. These plate members or sections I I and I2 forming the intrados and extrados may be continued in planes tangent to curves of the shoulder portions of such haunches to meet the upper and lower chords of the central section; the extrados being brought to a substanially flat condition in alignment with the upperv chord of the central section, while theintrados is continued in such curved and/or angular relation as 3l)-V to bring it into the desired tangential relation to the lower chord of such central section.

fI'he plate or web members I I)A taper to foot elements which may include base plates i6, and

.the flange portions I la and I29- welded to said relatively short longitudinally of the bridge ele-Y ments and to which such sections I Ia and I 2a and the lower ends of said webs VIII are welded. Additionally, stiffening buttress ribs I1 may be welded to the foot members and said webs.Y

YIn order that the haunches may be strength-V ened to withstand any iiange instability produced by the load on the bridge elements, I provide aY plurality of stiffening ribs 20 which extend across the same at the shoulder portionsjsuch ribs being welded at :v2 to such web and to the intrados and extrados plate sections, with short buttress I ribs or. knees 202iu disposed between said ribs 2l).

Y In the .construction of my improved bridge element, I propose to build the central section and thehaunch sections as separate pieces in the shop, and to transport the saine to the point of erection. In assembling these elements in the field the haunches are setup in their properly aligned position with respect to the gap to be spanned, and the central section is then broughtV into proper aligned relation therewith; the ends of the web 5 of such central section preferably abutting the ends of the webs i0 of the haunches.

'Io facilitate such assembly, I provide the haunches with small shelf brackets 25 and 26, welded to-the under surface of the intrados and extrados sections at the ends of the same, which shelves may be in offset relation verticallyl so that the central section may drop in placeV and be supported by such shellc brackets before itV is connected with the haunch members. The final connection may be a combined riveted and welded joint. 'Y

- applied to the tie plates 38 to hold the members together whileY the upper and lower chords of the central section `are being welded to the members Yconstituting the intrados and extrados of the haunch members; such welded joints being clearly indicated in Fig. 7.V After this welding operation, the temporary bolts Ymay be removed and, if necessary, the holes may be reamed to alignment and the tie Vplatesi finally riveted in place; thus completing the bridge element.

It will be understood, therefore, that if the extrados 'portions of the haunch members are supported in suitable footings andheld against any tendency to spring outwardly, no load applied upon the centralV section withinthelimit of the structure will appreciably deflect the Y same. Hence, I have produced a rigid bridge element of superior character and capable of sustaining any load within the limits of the particular construc tion and in which the elements of the'structure are fabricated by welding. Any cross section of the bridge element is so proportioned as to give a reasonable working stress when considered in conjunction with the bending moments, shears, and thrusts, which exist at the section when the whole element is considered to 'be working as a rigid'entity. Y

, Itwill be `'noted that the upper chord 6 of the Y heavier than the plates IVIIl and I2ab forming the flange Yelements continuous therewith, and which extend to the footing of such haunches.

`In the form of structure illustrated in Fig. 8, the intrados and extrados sections of the haunches have beenngiven a different contour.

witha .View of economizing in the amount of metal required. 'Ihe geometrical haunch is cheaper than the curvilinear haunch by reason of the elimination of the necessary radial stiffeners which'must be applied tothe curvilinear haunch to stabilize the flange members. In this geomet-Y rical form, the shoulder portions of the haunches are formed in planes, IIb and IZb, and these plane portions merge with other plane'portions of the haunches IIc and Ild,'and I2c and 'I2d, on arcs of Vsuitable radius. In lieu'of the stiffening ribs 20, shown in Figs. Y1 and 2. I may provide the weby I!)Pv with channel or rib reinforcements 35 which support the extrados at the changes in di- In some istancesiit may besdesir'able "toari range the parts of the'bridge units, comprising the central'sec'tion and the haunches, with a wedge t and such arrangement is shown'inFig. 10; the

. intrados and extrados members are provided with shelfy brackets '25*1g'andj26', welded thereto; the latter Lbeing'clearly shown -in Fig. 11, upon which the'ends of 1 the upper and f lower chordsf f' and' 'l e may` "rest during" assembly 'and while these? sections arebeing secured by the tie plates 3b. `rWhen finally vassembled in completed condition', the chord members are welded t'othese shelf brackets. ,By reason ,oftheangularity of the web engagement, the upper shelf brackets 25a are set back with respect to the lower shelf brackets 2lia so that the central section may drop into place without interference.

It will be understood, of course, that a plurality of the bridge elements inproper spaced relation will be employed in a bridge structure and that such elements will be properly tied by cross members welded, riveted,and/or otherwise secured between their respective webs; Fig. 3 showing `a plurality of bridge elements connectedA by cross members 45, riveted to the vertical members il'of the central section.

My improved bridge element maybe employed with any form of concrete road construction or the like, with or without the employment of expansion joints. Additionally,'I' may employ other forms of road elements, and if desired, the shoulders of the haunches may be provided with step brackets, such as indicated by dotted lines at 5D, in Fig. 12, in order that a continuous support may be pro-vided for plate elements or other forms of road surfacing to form the desired roadway.

Various modications may be made in the above-described embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit vand scope thereofv as set forth in thefollowing claims..

I claim:

1. A bridge element `comprising a continuous member consisting -of a central section and haunches connected thereto in spaced relation and constituting an inherently stable structure; each of said elements comprising a central web in continuous` alignment and continuous flange members to which the'central webs of said central section and haunches are welded; the cen-` tral webs of said haunches including substantially horizontal portions aligned with the central web Yof the central section, andthe flange members of saidcentral section forming the upper and Vlower chords of the central `section and being continuous with the flanges forming the intrados and extrados of said haunches, respectively. v

2. A bridge element comprisinga continuous member consisting of a central sectionV and haunches connected theretoin spaced relation and constitutingan inherentlystable structure;

' each of said elements comprising a centralweb chords of the central section and being continuouswith the flanges forming the intrados and extrados ofsaid haunches, respectively, and-vertical rribs weldedto said 'central webland the l iiange portions of the central section.

3. Av structure such as set forth in claim 1,- in

which the web of the central section is cut diagonally at its ends to fltrcomplementarily shaped central webs of the respective haunches, alignedl with the central web ofthe central section.

4. A structure'such as set forth in claim 1, in which the 'haunches'have integral Vshoulderyportions which extend longitudinally beyond the footings. *1' y 5. A structure such as set forth'in-claim 1, in'

which the haunches have integral'shoulderportions which extendlongitudinally beyond the footingsi said shoulder portions having -curved flanges forming the intrados and extrados thereof, with radially disposed reinforcing elements carriedV by the webs'of said haunches betweenv said flanges. f

6. A structure. such as set forth in claim 1, in

v which the haunches have shoulder portions in diagonal planes, with radial reinforcing channel memberscarried by the webs of said haunches between the intrados and extrados anges and disposed between the latter at their points o-fY change in direction. l

'7. A structure such as set forth in claim 1, in

which the central Vsection is welded to said n haunches; and temporary supporting means sef cured to the flanges of said haunches for positioning said central section before welding.

8. A structure such as set forth in claim 1, in

f a central web in continuous alignment and continuous flange members to which the central webs of said central section and haunches are welded; the central webs of said haunches including substantially horizontal portions aligned with the central web ofthe central section, and the flange members of said central section forming the .upper and lower chords of the central section and being continuous with the flanges forming the intradosand extrados of said haunches, respectively, and crossmembers between the rwebs of said central section for tying the continuous bridge members together.V

10. A bridge element consisting of a continuous member comprising a central arched section with a substantially Vflat upper chord, haunches 4in spaced relation with respect to said central section and forming a continuation of the arched contour thereof, and connections between said Ycentral section and said haunches; the whole constituting an inherentlyl stable structure and` each of said elements comprising a central web in continuous alignment and continuous flange members to which the central webs of said central section and haunches are welded; the central webs of said haunches including substantially horizontal portions aligned with the central web of the central section, and the ange members of said central section forming the upper and lower Y chords of the central section and being continurwhich the central section is welded to said 1 ous with the anges forming the extrados and intrados of said haunches, respectively.

11. A lstructure as set forth in' claim 10, with ribs, some of which are vertically disposed, arranged at right angles with respect to said central Webs and the flange portions of the several between said'central section and said haunches; the whole constituting aninherently stable structure land Veach of said elements comprising a central web-in continuous alignment and continuous flange members to which the central webs of said central'section and haunches are welded; the central webs of said haunches including substantially horizontalrpo-rtions aligned with the central web of the central. section, and the ange members of said central Ysection forming the upper and lower chordsof the central section and being continuous.withV the flanges forming the extrados andintrados ofc said naunches, respectively, Vand cross members between the webs of said central sections for tying the plurality of bridge members4 together.A Y

" QEVRE'IT CHAPMAN. 

